Hey guys. Today I recieved an assignment from my photography course in my college and the assignment is to take picture of different light. I really want my picture to look interesting and I want it to catchy my professor's attention ;) Few lights we discussed are LED, Headlight, Sun, Halogen, Laser, Neon, Fluorescent, Incandescent, etc... Can anyone give me advice on how I should approach this assignment? May be a reference work or things like that?

Might want to set your white balance manually to sunlight and specific to see the contrast between no WB and WB. Take a few items with several colours. Models in colourful dresses would be good to show the effect of the light on skin tones and objects.

I agree with NikoDoby, the point is for you to play with different lights and learn something about what you did with them and how the affect the photo. Toy around with the different lights and figure out what you like and what you don't

NikoDoby said:
The point of taking a photography class is so YOU learn new techniques. Asking for others to help you out on this assignment seems a bit like cheating to me.

Niz said:
I agree with NikoDoby, the point is for you to play with different lights and learn something about what you did with them and how the affect the photo. Toy around with the different lights and figure out what you like and what you don't

You seem to misunderstood my purpose of this post. If I copy the work that you guys might show me, that'd be cheating. However, I just wanted advice. Its like Art majors looking at other people's artwork by going to museum and study them to gain more knowledge and experience...Or mathmaticians learning equations and theorems created by other people. Would that be cheating? I don't think extra help from other place than the college would be harmful. I understand your point too but I just want more broad knowledge. I know many of the readers here are expert photographer and I only wanted some professional's advice. That's all;)

And thank you to those who gave me great advice. I'll take note to those :)

I use to teach photography. If I gave my student an assignment and then they turn around and ask for suggestions on a photography forum then I would NOT be impressed. I'd want the student to do the reasearch themselves and figure things out on their own.

An art major shouldn't ask a forum about which colors they should mix to create interesting art that will impress their professor. A math major isn't going to learn anything if they turn to a forum and ask which equation or theorem they should use to solve a homework assignment.

Do the research and experiment on your own. That's what I would expect from my students and I'm sure if your professor saw this thread he or she would be far from impressed with you. It's best that you talk to your professor about this assignment. Ask for their help. That's why they are there.

NikoDoby said:
I use to teach photography. If I gave my student an assignment and then they turn around and ask for suggestions on a photography forum then I would NOT be impressed. I'd want the student to do the reasearch themselves and figure things out on their own.

An art major shouldn't ask a forum about which colors they should mix to create interesting art that will impress their professor. A math major isn't going to learn anything if they turn to a forum and ask which equation or theorem they should use to solve a homework assignment.

Do the research and experiment on your own. That's what I would expect from my students and I'm sure if your professor saw this thread he or she would be far from impressed with you. It's best that you talk to your professor about this assignment. Ask for their help. That's why they are there.

Excellent advice for photography or any other subject. My wife is a math teacher and will go to the ends of the earth to help students, but the ones that get it are the ones that make the effort to learn and understand the process, not just slapping something on the paper that they got from someone else, even if the answer was correct.

In short, John Nash said "Books will dull your mind" I understand this as, trying to learn and develop from a book or museum so on and so forth interrupts true inspiration. Go out there and explore all types of lights and create something truly inspirational and original :)(Former art student turned scientist) You're human, you have that potential.

edit: He also said classes will dull your mind, but heh, I mean, can't read too deeply into everything someone says..

But in the end you'll have more fun and enjoyment exploring the project yourself, even if you succeed or failed, that will comfort you :). I think that's the problem with our educational system. We're rarely given the chance or reminder to enjoy our studies.

Something else to keep in mind, too: Both when I shot with film (all too briefly) and once I started shooting digital, I got in the habit of taking notes on what I was doing. Doesn't have to be a novel, but it should be enough to jog your memory and let you know, when you're looking at a photo, how to do/not to do the same thing again.

There's another reason to take notes... I'm not sure if I'm the only person this has happened to (I highly doubt it), but sometimes when I'm trying to figure out how to do something, I end up learning -- accidentally -- how to do other things while I'm at it through the mistakes and the trial-and-error process. The whole thing is to pay close attention to the results you get as you're trying for a certain effect. It's not enough to say, "No, that's not it. Next."

So, somewhat to the point raised by Niko, Niz and Ron: I get why you're asking for advice. Odds are better than even, though, that your teacher, if he/she is any good, isn't going to give you self-evident assignments. The whole point to approaching a teacher or mentor, whether it's in a classroom setting or with something much less formal, is to be challenged. Sometimes going into uncharted territory with no map, no compass and nothing/nobody to lean on but your own instincts is precisely the point.

'Cause it's not just about that one assignment; it's about developing new habits and new ways of seeing. It's all well and good to come to a forum, or a friend, and ask questions (and there's nothing wrong with that in and of itself). Point is, you're not always going to have that luxury. If you rely on that crutch too often, you run the risk of having an "ohshit" moment at a time you really can't afford one, rather than getting in the habit of improvising and shooting by the seat of your pants when needed.

Finally (finally!), take to heart what Workodactyl said, too. Don't forget the fun of it. Whether you do it for money, or hope to, or just shoot 'cause you can't bring yourself not to, never let a day out with the camera end up being just another day at the office.